Take a seat: Jefferson High School art students paint chairs for Relay for Life auction

Sarah Carter’s fifth hour class at Jefferson High School are hoping supporters will take a seat at this year’s Relay for Life in Monroe.

Students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, in her painting class have been decorating chairs to be auctioned for the relay, in its 30th year, to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Linda Regelin and her daughter, Jennifer West, a paraprofessional at the school, had the painting project idea.

Regelin has been involved with the fundraiser for more than two decades. While working at Niedermeier Elementary School, she supported a teacher battling bladder cancer. Ten years ago, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Regelin and her three daughters created their own team.

West proposed the idea to Carter, an art teacher at the high school.

“She was immediately on board having her students get involved,” Linda Regelin said.

Eight chairs, varying in style, were donated to the class and the creativity began to flow.

Once primed with a design in place, artists began creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces by applying acrylic paints followed by a sealant for protection.

Carter said each chair has its own unique character. Some chairs were painted in themes. There’s one for the University of Michigan fan and two geared for Disney enthusiasts. A couple of chairs are nature-based with floral motifs.

“With the chairs, there is a little bit of everything,” Sarah Carter said. “My students were super engaged with the project. In a practical sense, I like the idea of them painting something other than paper and canvas. … From the community aspect, I like them to see that art is something that is capable of creating change and being valuable in a space beyond the four walls of the classroom.”

This is the first time Carter has had her students participate in a project of this type. She plans to offer the same opportunity to her future students.

Relay for Life Monroe takes place from noon to midnight on Saturday, June 3, at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, 3775 S. Custer Road.

Chairs, along with other online items, can be viewed at BiddingOwl, www.biddingowl.com, a nonprofit fundraising format offering online auctions. In order to view any listings, a profile must be created. Auction items, more than 110, are listed under Relay for Life Monroe, Detroit, Michigan.

The silent auction and “chair-ity” auction will take place until 6 p.m. May 31. At that time, all online bidding closes until the day of the relay where bidding will resume in person at the silent auction building.

Money raised will be used to fund cancer research, transportation for patients, lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers, resources and one-on-one peer support. Payment can be made by cash, check and credit card. All items must be picked up by 7 p.m. on June 3 at the fairgrounds.

For more information about the event and the American Cancer Society, contact Kristen Pilon at 734-624-0571 or email Kristen.Pilon@cancer.org

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Jefferson High School art students paint chairs for Relay for Life